That saucy, melty, caramelized-onion smell coming off the griddle there’s nothing quite like it. This Copycat In-N-Out Animal Style Burger brings all of that West Coast fast food magic straight to your kitchen, special sauce and all.
Spring always makes me want meals that feel cozy but a little fresher and this one hits that sweet spot perfectly. I first cracked the animal-style spread back when my kids were little, testing batch after batch until the sauce-to-mustard ratio finally clicked. After years of tweaking, the key is grilling the patties in a slick of yellow mustard before the flip that’s what makes it taste exactly right.
PrintCopycat In N Out Animal Style Burger That Makes Real Homemade Magic
This Copycat In N Out Animal Style Burger recipe brings the iconic fast food favorite home with tender smash burgers, animal style spread recipe, and flavorful caramelized onions. It’s perfect for an easy dinner or a family weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 double double burgers 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Standard
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickles
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil divided
- 4 hamburger buns
- 16 dill pickle slices
- 4 slices tomato I recommend ¼ inch slices
- 4 leaves iceberg lettuce
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20 divided into 2 ounce balls
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- 8 slices American cheese
- ½ cup caramelized onions diced
Instructions
- Begin by caramelizing the onions if they are not prepared yet.
- Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, finely chopped pickles, and dijon mustard to make the burger spread, then set it aside.
- Heat a griddle to medium-high and toast the buns face-down with ½ teaspoon vegetable oil for about a minute until they turn golden.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the burger spread on the bottom halves of the buns and layer with pickle slices, tomato slices, and lettuce leaves.
- Form the ground beef into eight 2 ounce balls and flatten each into approximately 4 inch patties, seasoning both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add a teaspoon of oil to the griddle and wait until it starts to smoke, then cook the patties for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard on the raw side of each patty, flip them so the mustard side cooks downwards, and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Place a slice of American cheese on each patty and add 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions on four of them. Stack the plain patties on top of the onion-topped patties.
- Transfer the stacked patties onto the prepared buns and add the top buns. Serve the burgers right away.
Notes
- To enjoy these burgers protein style, swap the buns for large iceberg lettuce leaves for a gluten-free and low-carb option
- Caramelized onions can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer
- Avoid pressing the patties on the griddle to keep them juicy and tender
- If you lack a griddle, a skillet can be used but might limit the number of patties cooked at once
Nutrition
- Calories: 806kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 2477mg
- Fat: 60g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g + 19g
- Trans Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 134mg
Why You’ll Love This Animal Style Burger
Here’s the thing it tastes exactly like the real deal, but you made it in your own kitchen in about 15 minutes. The combination of that tangy burger spread, melted American cheese, and sweet caramelized onions stacked on a toasted bun is genuinely hard to beat.
It’s also a go-to for tired weeknights when you still want dinner to feel like dinner low effort, minimal cleanup, and the kind of meal that actually gets everyone to the table without a fight.
What You Need to Pull This Off
No special equipment required just a griddle or a large skillet and a few pantry staples. Here’s what does the heavy lifting:
- 80/20 ground beef the fat content keeps the smashed patties juicy, not dry
- Yellow mustard grilled directly onto the raw side of each patty before the flip, this is the move that makes it taste right
- Caramelized onions make these ahead if you can; they’re the soul of the whole burger
- American cheese melts perfectly over the patties while they finish cooking
- Mayonnaise, ketchup, finely chopped pickles, and dijon mustard combined, these four ingredients make the signature burger spread
How to Make It
The method is simpler than it looks. Once your caramelized onions are ready, the rest comes together fast.
- Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, finely chopped pickles, and dijon mustard together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Toast the buns face-down on an oiled griddle over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Remove and spread burger sauce on the bottom halves, then layer on pickle slices, tomato, and iceberg lettuce.
- Form the ground beef into eight 2-ounce balls. Flatten each to about 4 inches round, then season with salt and black pepper.
- Heat more oil on the griddle until it just starts to smoke. Cook the patties for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Spread yellow mustard on the raw side of each patty, then flip so the mustard hits the griddle. Cook 1 more minute.
- Top each patty with a slice of American cheese. Add caramelized onions to four patties, then stack the remaining four directly on top.
- Transfer the double stacks to the prepared buns and serve immediately.
Pro Tip: Once a patty is on the griddle, resist the urge to press down on it you’ll squeeze out all the juices that make it worth eating.
Can You Make This Animal Style Burger Ahead of Time?
The burger spread and caramelized onions are both great make-ahead components. The patties are best cooked fresh, but prepping those two things in advance makes the whole process even faster on a busy night.
- Burger spread keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container
- Caramelized onions can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for up to 3 months
- Freeze leftover caramelized onions in an ice cube tray so you can thaw just what you need
Easy Swaps and Serving Ideas
Want to change things up or work with what you have? A few simple options:
- Skip the bun entirely and wrap in large iceberg lettuce leaves for a low-carb, gluten-free version only 8 net carbs per burger
- No griddle? A large skillet works just as well cook in batches of 2 to 4 patties at a time
- Serve with classic sides like fries or a simple salad to keep the meal feeling fresh without overcomplicating it
Note: Seasoning the patties after you flatten them not before means less handling, which means more tender, juicy results every single time.
FAQs ( Copycat In-N-Out Animal Style Burger )
What makes a burger animal style?
Animal style means the patty is cooked with mustard pressed into the griddle, then topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, and a creamy burger spread made from mayo, ketchup, pickles, and dijon mustard.
What is the secret sauce for In-N-Out animal style?
The burger spread in this recipe combines mayonnaise, ketchup, finely chopped pickles, and dijon mustard. Mix them together in a small bowl and spread 2 tablespoons on each bottom bun.
Can I make animal style fries too?
Animal style fries are not covered in this recipe, but the burger spread and caramelized onions from this dish work great as toppings if you want to try it at home.
Do I need a griddle to make animal style burgers at home?
No – a skillet works fine for this smash-style recipe. Depending on skillet size, plan to cook 2 to 4 patties at a time rather than all eight at once.
What is the difference between In-N-Out animal style and a regular burger?
A regular burger skips the mustard-grilled cooking method, caramelized onions, and signature burger spread that define this recipe – those three elements are what set animal style apart.
This Animal Style Burger comes together in about 15 minutes, and the smell alone that mustard hitting the hot griddle is honestly half the reward. The result is juicy, saucy, and piled high with sweet caramelized onions and perfectly melted American cheese on a toasted bun.
A few things that make a real difference: don’t skip the yellow mustard trick before the flip, and if you can swing it, make the caramelized onions and burger spread ahead of time. Both keep beautifully in the fridge and make busy-night assembly almost effortless. Lettuce wraps work wonderfully here too if you want something a little lighter without losing any of the flavor.
If you make this one, drop a photo in the comments or tag us there’s something genuinely satisfying about watching someone else nail it at home. Did you grow up grabbing In-N-Out on road trips, or is this your first taste of animal style? Either way, save this one for the nights when dinner deserves to feel like a little something special.
